Power banks for the SW Star Adventurer

[Jammy]

I've just bought this device which stops power bank batteries turning off.

It's called a USB battery pack keep-alive load by Sotabeams .co.uk which is an amateur radio stockist in the UK.

https://www.sotabeams.co.uk/usb-battery-pack-keep-alive-load/

I bought both an assembled and a kit version.  The kit was really easy to solder together with full instructions on their website.

Just trying it out now and it works fine.  It works by adding just enough current draw to stop the battery going to sleep.

Definitely something to consider if anyone would like to use a battery pack with the Star Adventurer.

[Alien 13]

Thanks, just ordered the kit..

Alan

[Carbon Brush]

Thanks for posting. I like the idea of setting a minimum load current to suit the powerbank.
 

Edited February 21, 2021 by Carbon Brush
Typo

[BCN_Sean]

Neat little setup, cheap enough too to buy full built instead of getting the finger burner out for a one off job.  If I was building it mind, I'd probably change the resistor in the R5 position (the one in front of the LED) to something a bit larger (perhaps a 56k or 67k) just to drop the LED output as that could end up an annoyance when out there.

[Mark2022]

Can someone explain why such a battery 'goes to sleep'? and, in what circumstances with the SA, that would happen?  I've just bought an SA and was thinking of buying a power pack for it but don't understand this issue.